Pale Blue has been awarded a new contract with Yonsei University in South Korea to provide the Resistojet (0.5U sized water vapor) propulsion system for a pair of 6U satellites.

The propulsion system will be used to do formation flying for a laser crosslink system between the two smallsats in LEO as well as conduct optical communications. The laser crosslink payload employs a deployable, optical telescope to compensate for the compact bus capability of a typical CubeSat platform. With this novel design, a stable communication link can be achieved at a distance of up to 1000 km. The proposed data rate is at least 1 Gbps., which is a challenging objective given the efficient and low cost nature of the systems.

Asia is experiencing a rapid space industry growth and Pale Blue aims to boos its presence in in this region as well as contribute to the development of space technologies.this region as well as contribute to the development of space technologies. Throughout collaboration with Yonsei University, Pale Blue will expand the business by strengthening partnerships in Asia. The company will create mobility capabilities that are core to the space industry, while providing the waterwater–based propulsion systems to the global market.

“We are thrilled to work together with Pale Blue on this project. Our mission aims for demonstrating cutting edge laser communication, with orbital maneuvering and formation keeping playing a central role. These thrusters perfectly meet our requirements and offer the advantage of being not only environmentally friendly, but also free from regulatory constraints. We look forward to continuing this successful collaboration in ou r future missions.” — Sang Young Park, Professor, Department of Astronomy, Yonsei University

“I am truly grateful for this opportunity to cooperate with Yonsei University on their project,” said . “I am sure our water based thrusters can contribute to the satellite’s formation control and establishment of their outstanding communication technology. l and establishment of their outstanding communication technology. We are honored to be selected, and continue to support Yonsei University going forward.” — Jun Asakawa, CEO and Co Founder, Pale Blue

Ovzon has received a 12 month order to deliver Ovzon SATCOM-as-a-Service (SaaS) to be used by the Italian Border Police.

The service will be used in their important and difficult work to manage the complex situation with the surge in number of refugees arriving at the island of Lampedusa, the most southern island of Italy, which is a major destination for migrants seeking to enter European Union countries.

The number of migrants arriving on Italy’s shores by boats more than tripled in the first two months of 2023 compared to previous year and has grown dramatically every month since then, according to Italy’s interior ministry.

The order was received through Sielte S.p.A., the large Italian TLC infrastructure, service and ICT provider owned by the Turrisi family since 1999. The service will be operational from the middle of August 2023.

Satellite communications plays a crucial role in the Italians Border Police work as there are no other means of guaranteed connectivity, communication, and coordination of critical operations in the areas where they operate.

“Satellite communications is particularly important in Italy. Mountains, remote areas, and islands can be impossible to reach with traditional terrestrial networks. The Italian Border Police is doing a fantastic job in supporting a variety of mission critical activities handled by the Ministry of Interior and its operational government agencies such as the Italian Fire and Rescue Services and now also with the Italian Border Police. Ovzon’s SATCOM-as-a-Service both for On-The-Move and On-The-Pause solutions is ideal for the Italian Border Police important work in taking care of refugees and the most fragile and those in need of help. We are proud to support another Italian vital function with our unique mobile satellite connectivity solution.” — Per Norén, President and CEO, Ovzon

On July 30th., an Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)_PSLV C56 carried the NuSpace Pte Ltd.‘s NuLIoN smallsat as one of the mission’s ride share payloads to orbit.

Upon successful insertion, the company attempted to contact the satellite using the firm’s own ground station, following the planned operating procedure. Initially, contact with the satellite on its first few passes was unsuccessful.

NuSpace LoRaWAN Internet-of-Things Network (NuLIoN) is an advanced, 3U, smallsat that enables seamless IoT connectivity in urban and remote locations. The smallsats empowers terrestrial sensors to effortlessly transmit data directly to the satellite, eliminating the complex infrastructure and high costs that are associated with mass deployment of IoT applications in remote areas.

Fortunately, NUS CRISP (an operational ground station) reached out to the company and offered to assist — they began tracking NuLIoN with their spare capacity. NUS CRISP picked up a short blip on their spectrum analyzer, which corresponded to NuLIoN’s frequency. NuSpace quickly integrated the firm’s ground equipment into the NUS CRISP their station and the wait was on. In a subsequent pass, scrambled data was noted coming in but was being discarded — finally, the first decoded beacon packet was received.

NuLIoN is operating nominally and the solar panels and communication antenna are fully deployed. In the upcoming weeks, the company will continue to test the satellite and commission it phase by phase until the smallsat is ready for its mission.

NuSpace writes, “This success would not have been possible without the help of NUS CRISP and their unwavering and continuous support.”

SpaceX is targeting Sunday, August 6 at 10:41 p.m. ET (02:41 UTC on August 7) for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida. If needed, there are two additional launch opportunities at 11:31 p.m. ET (03:31 UTC) and 12:22 a.m. ET on August 7 (04:22 UTC). Up to five backup opportunities are also available on Monday, August 7 starting at 8:35 p.m. ET (00:35 UTC August 8) until 11:57 p.m. ET (03:57 UTC).

This is the fourth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER, and one Starlink mission. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff.

An advanced broadband satellite that is providing high-speed internet services that demonstrate nexgen 5G connectivity has passed initial, on-orbit tests.

As they can swiftly switch their coverage between different locations, beam-hopping satellites can connect people living in, or traveling over, wide geographical areas. They can also vary the power of their signals, enabling them to respond rapidly to surges in customer demand, for example, during natural disasters when emergency responders need to communicate with each other.

The beam-hopping satellite — nicknamed JoeySat after a baby kangaroo — will soon demonstrate the technology that will enable a beam hopping satellite in LEO to connect thousands of people traveling by air, sea or on land.

JoeySat was launched into orbit on May 20th., exactly two years after ESA and OneWeb signed the contract to collaborate on the satellite’s creation.

Since then, JoeySat has completed commissioning tests of its platform and payload and initiated its one-year test campaign that includes a digitally regenerative, on-board processor, a multi-beam phased array that incorporates beam-steering as well as beam-hopping antennas.

JoeySat is in a near-polar orbit and will send signals via ground stations in Norway and Sweden to demo the full capabilities of flexible payloads in nexgen constellations with global connectivity. Experiments will include end-to-end communications with dynamic resource allocation, and 5G pilot tests with the University of Surrey.

Developed under the Sunrise Partnership Project between ESA and telecommunications operator OneWeb, with support from the UK Space Agency, JoeySat is demonstrating key technologies for OneWeb’s nexgen constellation.

JoeySat’s fully digital and state-of-the-art payload was built using off-the-shelf components, new space best practices and a lean management style in less than a year. The satellite’s advanced, digital regenerative payload was built by communications equipment company Satixfy and the payload environmental tests were completed in the UK.

“It is exciting to see OneWeb’s JoeySat pass its initial in-orbit tests so that it can move on to demonstrate the huge potential of its innovative beam-hopping technology to enhance connectivity and improve people’s lives, whether that means better broadband services in remote places, or the ability to respond more effectively to emergency situations. The UK Space Agency has supported the mission with more than £50 million to fund both the game-changing technology behind JoeySat’s creation and the development of a wider ecosystem that will ensure a reliable and sustainable end-to-end service. We look forward to watching its next-generation capabilities come to life.” — Harshbir Sangha, Missions and Capabilities Delivery Director, UK Space Agency

“We are proud of this ESA Partnership Project with a large telecommunications operator that also includes small and medium-sized enterprises. By working in a lean style using commercial off-the-shelf components and flexible project management to bring innovative technologies to market in response to commercial needs, ESA is helping to foster innovation in next-generation 5G connectivity. ESA Partnership Projects help European space companies succeed in the highly competitive global market for telecommunications satellites.” — Javier Benedicto, Acting Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications, ESA

Bright Ascension Ltd. expects to release significantly more information on the firm’s upcoming product suite launch at the Small Satellites Conference in Logan, Utah, at Booth 194, from August 5th through 10th.

2023 has been the busiest year for Bright Ascension, with ten software deployments launched onboard three SpaceX rockets in the first half of the year. The satellites, developed for a diverse mix of applications, ranged from tracking hidden maritime activity for increased intelligence capability to delivering hyperspectral imaging data to benefit the agricultural sector. These satellites comprise the highest number of the company’s software deployments that have been launched within any six month period and take Bright Ascension’s current total to 44 spacecraft on-orbit.

The 2023 SpaceX Transporter launches are an important steppingstone to building and solidifying Bright Ascension’s flight heritage and credibility within the sector ahead of the highly anticipated launch of its innovative suite of end-to-end space software products later in the year.

Bright Ascension is introducing a complete, new product suite covering the entire space system, from spacecraft flight software and ground operations systems, to service management products and data-insights applications. Harnessing the power of integration and in-built scalability, this end-to-end space software solution will enable operators and space-based service providers to maximize their mission potential by making full use of available assets and save significant costs across development, operations and data delivery.

“So far, any information about our upcoming product suite launch has been a closely guarded secret. We’ve had an incredibly productive first half of 2023 with ten satellite launches and breakthrough product development, and we feel now the time is right to share more detail on our new, innovative and truly unique product suite. Make sure to meet the team at the SmallSat Conference in Utah to find out what sort of savings our new products can give your mission in terms of cost, effort and time.” — Peter Mendham, CEO, Bright Ascension

Bright Ascension will be exhibiting on Booth 194 at the Small Satellites Conference in Logan, Utah, on August, 5-10.

Astroscale has a new partnership with Astro Digital US Inc. that will see Astroscale’s Generation 2 Docking Plate incorporated into Astro Digital’s modular satellite bus for end-of-life (EOL) servicing preparation.

Astroscale’s Gen 2 Docking Plate offers a new benchmark for on-orbit servicing and promises to usher in a new era of responsible, sustainable and smart satellite operations in space, aligning with international best practices and guidelines. Astro Digital is set to receive its first Astroscale Docking Plate for integration later this year, with launch expected in Q4 2024.

Astroscale’s Docking Plate and end-of-life services provide bus manufacturers and satellite operators with a solution for striking a balance between developing and growing our activities in space while ensuring space remains viable for future generations.

“We are excited to deliver our Gen 2 Docking Plate to Astro Digital. Equipping their platforms with the Astroscale Docking Plate demonstrates leadership among bus manufacturers to provide a spacecraft that is ready for potential servicing or removal, allowing satellite operators to remain flexible and act responsibly in space. With the Docking Plate in place, on-orbit servicing spacecraft such as Astroscale’s ELSA-M servicer can securely dock with the client satellite and relocate it or remove it from orbit for safe and simple disposal, offering a low-risk, practical and future-proof solution for the industry.” — Andrew Faiola, Commercial Director, Astroscale Ltd.

“We want to empower and accelerate innovative companies and their space-based initiatives. At the same time, Astro Digital and our customers want to operate responsibly and ensure that space remains viable in the future. We see space debris mitigation as a crucial activity for sustainable space, and we recognise that Astro Digital has a role to play. Incorporating Astroscale’s Docking Plate into our satellite bus design supports our goals of being responsible operators. The simple and compatible design allows easy integration, making it straightforward for us to enable our customers to keep space sustainability alongside their day-to-day operations.” — Chris Biddy, Co-Founder and CEO, Astro Digital US Inc.

The launch of PSLV-C56, carrying the DS-SAR satellite along with six co-passengers from the first launch-pad at SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota, was accomplished successfully by ISRO on July 30, 2023, at 06:30 hrs IST. The DS-SAR radar satellite was developed and produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

PSLV-C56 was configured in its core-alone mode, similar to that of C55. The DS-SAR, a 360 kg. satellite, was launched into a Near Equatorial Orbit (NEO) at 5 degrees inclination and at an altitude of 535 km.

The DS-SAR satellite was developed under a partnership between DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering. Once deployed and operational, it will be used to support the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of Singapore. ST Engineering will use the satellite for multi-modal and higher responsiveness imagery and geospatial services for their commercial customers.

DS-SAR carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This allows the DS-SAR to provide for all-weather day and night coverage, and capable of imaging at 1 meter resolution at full polarimetry.

The co-passengers for this mission were…

• VELOX-AM, a 23 kg. technology demonstration smallsat.
• ARCADE Atmospheric Coupling and Dynamics Explorer (ARCADE), an experimental satellite
• SCOOB-II , a 3U smallsat flying a technology demonstrator payload
• NuLIoN by NuSpace, an advanced 3U smallsat enabling seamless IoT connectivity in urban and remote locations.
• Galassia-2, a 3U nanosatellite that will be orbiting at LEO.
• ORB-12 STRIDER , satellite developed under an International collaboration

Tests have begun on the IAI DS-SAR satellite built for Singapore’s military and commercial use which entered orbit on July 30th. and transmitted the first data to the ground station. The satellite will be handed over to its Singaporean customers at the end of testing.

The DS-SAR satellite builds on IAI’s experience in developing observation satellites such as OptSat and TecSAR, which have been developed in new generations for 35 years. The synthetic aperture radar sensor payload is designed to enable the collection of a wide range of data, in terms of both coverage and resolution, day and night, and under all weather conditions.

The satellite will be used for maritime surveillance with the Singapore Ministry of Defence’s Defence Science and Technology Agency and provide commercial services through ST Electronics alongside TELEOS 1 Earth Observation.